State

Nagaland to get two chopper services

Centre has sanctioned an additional helicopter service under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) subsidy scheme for 1,200 flying hours in a year.

In a letter to commissioner and secretary Transport on October 10, deputy secretary to Government of India, A Radha Rani stated that in addition to the service of one helicopter service that was flying 480 hours per year, Nagaland would now have two chopper services flying 1,200 hours annually with the current approval.

The ministry also directed the State government to ensure that competitive bidding process was strictly followed before hiring the additional helicopter.

The ministry asked the State government to furnish certain information details to enable the former to obtain approval of Standing Finance Committee (SFC) regarding hiring of an additional service.

The details to be furnished include type of helicopter proposed to be used, proposed routes, expected annual utilisation of flying hours, passengers fare to be fixed, expected revenue generation on account of passenger fares and estimated annual expenditure to incurred in hiring of an additional helicopter, worked out on the basis of details provided in respect of the above requirements. It directed the State government to furnish the details latest by October 26 this year.

Meanwhile, State transport minister P Paiwang Konyak lauded the prompt response of MHA and thanked Union Home minister Rajnath Singh and his deputy Kiren Rijiju for their timely intervention.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, Konyak said the two choppers would facilitate medical evacuations, VIP sorties and air travel for the people, especially during natural calamities like the one faced by the State this monsoon.

He said, as per the MHA directive, bidding process would be done soon.

It may be recalled that chief minister Neiphiu Rio and Konyak had met Singh in September and urged him for providing additional chopper service, considering the severe challenges faced by Nagaland during this monsoon season as some district headquarters were completely cut off from rest of the State.

Currently, the State government was using chopper service of Global Vectra Helicorp Limited.